File follower



March 2, 1943. N. Y. ANDERSEN FILE FOLLOWER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 1, 1942 [Web zzaemezz March 2, 1943. N. Y. ANDERSEN I 2,312,742

FILE FOLLOWER Filed Aug. 1, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 2, 1943 FEE FOLLOWER Niels lYde Andersen, Kenmore, N. Y., asslgnor to Remington Rand End, Bufialo, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application August 1, 1942, Serial No. 453,264

(ill. l2928) Claims.

or the like, is constructed to occupy only a min imum of the filing space in said drawer, is mounted for swinging movement between forward and rearward tilted positions so correspondshoe or similar files supported thereby may be, opened at the top to provideaccess to the filed matter, and provides a construction wherein a suitable latching means is normally operative to retain the follower against longitudinal adjustment in the drawer but is readily operable manually for releasing the latch means in order that the follower may be readily adjusted longitudinally in the drawer or other container in which it is mounted.

The invention comprehends the provision of a tilting follower construction for vertical correspondence and like files having a supporting member slidably mounted for longitudinal movement between the front and rear portions of the file carrying a tilting follower plate and having a latching means for normally retaining the supporting member in adjusted position against longitudinal movement, wherein the latching means is readily operable into released position regardless of the tilted position of the follower plate on the supporting member.

The invention further comprehends the provision of a follower construction wherein the entire construction is made of a relatively small number of parts constructed and assembled in a compact emciently operating manner so that only a minimum of the filing space in the file container is occupied by the follower and yet the latching means is easily and readily operable in any tilting position of the follower plate relative to the supporting member so that the latch ing means can be operated to released position for convenient and ready adjustment of the follower longitudinally of the file container.

The invention further provides a follower construction that is readily assembled and cheap to construct although efiicient in operation.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a rear elevation showing the follower in vertical position in a file drawer with the drawer and channel member shown in cross section.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical cross section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 with the forward and rearward tilted positions of the follower plate indicated by dot and dash lines.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross section taken substantially along line 3-3 of Fig. 2 with portions of the channel member broken away and shown in section for convenience in illustration.

Fig. 4 shows the supporting member andlatch means carried thereby in perspective and in disassembled relation. I

A file drawer or other suitable container for correspondence or similar files is indicated at i. It will be understood that the term drawer will be used to indicate any type of holder or container that may be useful with the follower construction herein disclosed. Drawer I has a bottom wall 2 and upstanding side wall 3 arranged in spaced parallel relation at the opposite sides of bottom 2. The central portion of bottom wall 2 is formed with an ofiset portion a for receiving channel member 5 formed to provide guideways along opposite sides thereof. The upper flanges of channel member 5 terminate in substantially the same plane as the upper face of the bottom wall 2 in the manner shown in Fig. 1. This channel member is formed with two rows of openings 6 extending longitudinally thereof and spaced inwardly a slight distance from the guide portions at opposite sides 01' the channel member. Perforations 6 form a keeper means or portions on the channel with which latch members cooperate as hereinafter described.

A follower carriage or supporting member 1 is substantially U-shape in form, has a transverse bar or section 8 and a pair of leg portions forming spaced parallel guide members 9 extending from opposite ends of transverse bar 8. Guide members Q are provided with bearing projections iii at the front and rear ends on the upper and lower edges thereof for slidable contact with the upper and lower portions in the guideways of channel member 5. Laterally extending ribs H at the front and rear ends of each guide member 9 extend outwardly at each side of supporting member. I and engage in the guideways of channel member 5 in slidable relation for controlling sidewise movement. These guide members with the projections Id and H slidably support supporting member or follower carriage l for longitudinal sliding movement in channel member 5 in a free and easy manner at the same time retaining the supporting member against tilting and sidewise movement in the channel member. The upper edge f transverse bar 8 of supporting member 1 is provided with an extension forming a hinge knuckle l2.

A follower plate I3 is formed of sheet metal or other suitable material. Follower plate I3 is formed along the bottom edge to provide a tubular portion H at opposite sides of a central cutout section indicated at |5 so arranged that cutout section l5 will receive hinge knuckle l2 in order that the passage in the hinge knuckle will be in axial alignment with the bore of tubular portionl4. A hinge pin I6 is inserted in tubular portion l4 and through hinge knuckle |2 for hingedly connecting follower plate l3 to supporting member or follower carriage 'l in the mane ner illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

The upper central portion of follower plate- I 3 is provided with a curved flange adapted to form a convenient grip for manually. engaging the follower to operate it between its forward and rearward inclined positions in a drawer. The central portion of curved flange I1 is formed with an aperture l8 through which extends the upper end of operating bar or member I! having a laterally extending handle portion 26 formed on the free end above follower plate I 3.

Operating bar l3 extends between the bottom and top edges on the rear face of plate l3 and is guided at the lower end by stud 2| extending through slot 22 formed in bar l9. Stud 2| is suitably secured to follower plate l3. The lower end of operating bar I9 is formed with an oifs'et portion 23 in spaced parallel relation to the rear of follower plate l3. The lower end of oifset portion 23 is notched as indicated at 24 to provide a pair of inclined operating edges 25.

A pair of latch levers 26 are pivotally mounted in end to end relation intermediate their ends on a pair of spaced studs 21 carried by transverse bar 6 of supporting member I. The adjacent ends of latch levers 26 are formed to provide operating fingers 26. These fingers are formed by laterally extending flange portions on the adjacent ends of levers 26 arranged to lie in the path of movement of the inclined edges 25 of operating member l9. The outer free ends of latch levers 26 are formed with lateral flange extensions 36 having the lower end portions thereof formed to provide projections to engage in perforations 6 in channel member 5.

A spring member 3| is formed with a pair of coiled portions spaced apart a distance equal to the distance between the axes of studs 21 so that the studs mav pass throu h the coil portions of spring 3|. The studs support the spring so the resiliently actuated end portions 32 can be extended outwardly into engagement with the outer free ends of latch levers 26 in notches 33 formed in the upper edges: of the laterally extending flange portions 36 thereof. Spring 3| is normally operative through end portions 32 to move latch levers 26 in a direction so that the projections on the lower ends of flanges 36 will normally engage in keeper openings 6. This moves the inner ends of latch levers 26 upward- 1y, fingers 26 moving upwardly under the normal action of the sprin to be in position to engage the inclined edges 25 of operating bar I 9. The pivotal movement of latches 26 about studs 21 under the operation of spring 3| is limited by the engagement of the inner upper edges of latches 26 with stop-projections 34 formed on transverse bar 3 as clearly shown in Fig. 4.

In view of latch members 26 being normally operated into latching position by spring 3| with the inner ends retained in engagement with the ends of stops 34, it is not necessary to provide any means for operating bar l9 since fingers 23 will support bar IS in all positions of follower plate l3 in a position ready for manual operation. This operation is obtained by constructing spring 3| to have the desired strength for securing the operation of both latches 26 and operating bar l9. By manually depressing operating bar I9 by engaging finger piece 26 and pushing down thereon, movement of bar l9 downwardly relative to follower plate l3 will cause offset part 23 to have the inclined edges 25 thereof move finger extensions 28 downwardly for rocking latch levers 26 about their pivots against the tension of spring 3| so that the projections on flanges 36 will be disengaged from the securing means or perforations 6. Upon release of downward pressure on bar l9, spring 3| will return the bar to the upward limit of movement relative to follower plate I3 while latches 26 will 'be returned to the position where the inner ends engage stops 34. Whenever bar I9 is pushed downwardly to disengage the flanges 36 of latches 26 from apertures 6, follower plate l3 with its supporting member or carriage I may be longitudinally adjusted by sliding carriage I longitudinally in channel member 5 to the desired position. When this position is reached, release of manual operation to hold bar IS in the downwardly depressed position will provide for the upward sliding movement of bar I6 to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, for example,

where latch members 26 will return to the operative position for latching the follower structure in an adjusted position.

The upper comers of follower plate I3 at the sides of the drawer are cut ofl in angular relation and at a distance above the upper edges of the sides of the drawer, the upper side por- 'tions of follower plate I 3 carry rollers 35 extending laterally outward from the side edges of carrier plate l3 over the side walls 3 of the drawer. These rollers 35 are arranged so they will extend in spaced relation above the upper edges of the side walls of the drawer when the follower plate is in the vertical position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. when the follower plate is moved into a forwardly or rearwardly tilted position, rollers 35 will engage with the upper edges of the side walls 3 of the drawer and limit the tilting movement of follower plate l3. Tilting movement of the follower plate is limited by rollers 35. The follower plate is usually supported in one of the two positions as shown by dot and dash lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Only a portion of the follower plate is indicated in dot and dash lines at the left-hand side of Fig. 2. I

Lateral flanges 36 are provided with an inclined bottom edge portion 36 arranged so that the inclined edge operates to cam the projections on latches 26 out of perforations 6 so that the follower construction can be moved forwardly in a drawer or tray without operating bar l9 to release latch members 26. This will provide for convenient movement of the follower When the follower is in latched position it will be understood that follower plate It may be moved on the hinge connection with supporting member l .elther forwardly or rearwardly to the inclined positions indicated by the dot and dash lines in Fig. 2. Follower plate It will normally be supported in one of these inclined positions so that files in the drawer can be opened by letting the portion to the rear of the point desired incline or lean rearwardly on follower plate i3 while the remaining files will lean forwardly against the front of the drawer opening up a space at the upper ends of the files so a file operator can have convenient access to the correspondence at the point of opening in the file. The follower construction can be moved rearwardly in a most convenient manner by depressing bar 59 through manual engagement with handle extension 28, regardless of the tilted position in which the follower plate l3 may be at the time it is desired to operate latch members 26. The latch members will be moved into inoperative position by the operation of operating bar 19 so the follower may be moved rearwardly in the drawer for adjustment at any time with follower plate i3 positioned in any of the various angles that it occupies between the forward and rearward tilting positions indicated when rollers 35 will engage the upper edges of the sides 3 of the drawer.

The structure of follower carriage or supporting member 1 is such that it will have free sliding movement in channel member 5 and be retained against rocking movement in the channel member in such a way that it will have free sliding operation between the front and rear ends of the drawer in the channel member without sticking or catching. The latches are of simple construction, cheap to manufacture and readily assembled in operative position for maintaining the follower normally in adjusted position. Yet, the latches are readily operable so that the follower may be easily adjusted in the drawer while follower plate I3 may be in any of its tilted positions.

The follower construction uses only a single thickness of sheet metal in forming plate i3 while bar i9 is a thin sheet metal strip, this construction providing for the use of only a minimum amount of file space in the drawer, considerably less than many other known types of follower constructions that take up a greater space longitudinally of the drawer. The construction of supporting member l is such that it lies substantially wholly within channel 5 without having wide projecting parts extending above the bottom of the file drawer, so as to its mounting and free operation in the channel member.

The invention claimed 1 s:

1. In a followed construction for drawers and the like wherein the drawer has a bottom wall and side walls extending upwardly therefrom in spaced parallel relation, and a channel member extends longitudinally on the bottom wall, the

combination of a supporting member slidable longitudinally in said channel member, a follower plate hingedl'y mounted on said supporting member for swinging movement thereon between forwardly and rearwardly tilted positions, means for limiting the tiltingmovement' of said follower plate, latch means on the supporting member normally operative to engage said channel member and retain said supporting member against iongitudinal movement therein, and an operating member movably mounted on said follower plate manually operable in all positions of said plate for engaging and moving said latch means into inoperative position whereby said follower plate and supporting member may belongitudinally adjusted in said channel member.

2. In a follower construction for drawers and the like wherein the drawer has a bottom wall and side walls extending upwardly therefrom in spaced parallel relation, and a channel member extends longitudinally on the bottom wall, the combination of a supporting member slidable longitudinally in said channel member, a follower plate hingedly mounted on said supporting member for swinging movement thereon between forwardly and rearwardly tilted positions, means for limiting the tilting movement of said follower plate, a pair of levers pivotally mounted on said supporting member and having one end of each lever formed to engage keeper portions formed in said channel member for retaining said supporting member against longitudinal movement in said channel member, resilient means carried by said supporting member for normally moving said levers into latching position, and an operating bar slidably mounted on said follower plate with one end extending above the upper edge of said follower plate for manual engagement to slidably move said bar on said follower plate, said operating bar having the lower end formed to engage both of said levers in any position of said follower plate on said supporting member between said forwardly and rearwardly tilted positions whereby manual operation of said operating bar will move said latching levers into inoperative position for adjustment of said follower plate and supporting member longitudinally in said channel member.

3. In a follower construction for drawers and the like wherein the drawer has a bottom wall and side walls extending upwardly therefrom in spaced parallel relation, and a channel member extends longitudinally on the bottom wall, the combination of a U-shaped supporting member having a cross member extending transversely between the sides of-said channel member and leg portions extending from opposite ends of said cross member slidably guided in said channel member along guideways on opposite sides thereof for retaining said supporting member in said channel for longitudinal sliding movement, a follower plate hingedly connected at the lower edge to said cross member for swinging movement on said supporting member between forwardly and rearwardly inclined positions, a pair of latch levers pivotally mounted on said cross member in spaced end to end relation, said latch levers having the outer ends thereof formed for engagement with complementary parts of said channel member for latching said supporting member to said channel member against longitudinal movement, means normally retaining said latch levers in latching position, and manually operable means on said follower plate having portions for engaging the adjacent ends of said latch levers in all positions of said follower plate between said forwardly and rearwardly tilted positions for manually moving said latch levers into released position to provide for longitudinal adjustment of said follower plate and supporting member relative to said channel member.

4. In a follower construction for drawers and the likewherein the drawer has a bottom wall and side walls extending upwardly therefrom in spaced parallel relation, and a channel member extends longitudinally on the bottom wall, the combination of a U-shaped supporting member having a cross member extending transversely between the sides of said channel member and leg portions extending from opposite ends of said cross member slidably guided in said channel member along opposite sides thereof for retaining said supporting member in said channel member for longitudinal sliding movement, a follower plate hingedly connected at the lower edge to the cross member for swinging movement on said supporting member between forwardly and rearwardly inclined positions, a pair of latch levers pivotaily mounted on said cross member in spaced end to end relation, said latch levers having the outer ends thereof formed for engagement with complementary parts of said channel member for latching said supporting member to said channel member against longitudinal movement, means normally retaining said latch levers in latching position, and an operating bar slidably mounted on said follower plate in upright position having the upper end extending above the upper free edge of said follower plate for manual engagement in the operation of said bar and the lower end being formed with a pair of spaced parts for engaging the adjacent ends of said latch levers and operable in manual operation of said operating bar to engage and move said latch levers into released position whereby said follower plateand supporting member may be longitudinally adjusted in said channel member.

5. A tilting follower for drawers and the like, comprising a channel member having guide portions along opposite sides thereof and keeper means adjacent said guide portions extending longitudinally throughout the length thereof, a supporting member having guide members slidable in the guideways of said channel member for slidably mounting said supporting member for longitudinal movement in said channel member, said supporting member having a transverse supporting section extending between said guide members, a follower plate having the lower edge provided with a hinge connection to said transverse section of said supporting member for mounting said follower plate on said supporting member for swinging movement between forward and rearward tilted positions, a pair of latch members mounted in end to and relation on said transverse section for pivotal movement relative thereto, said latch members having latch portions for engagement with the keeper means in said channel, resilient means for normally moving said latch members into engagement with said keeper means for retaining said supporting member against longitudinal movement on said channel member, and an operating bar slidably mounted on said follower plate and formed at the lower end with a pair of oppositely inclined portions for engaging the free ends of said latch members and at the opposite end with a finger piece for manual operation to slidably move said operating bar to operate said latch members into released position to provide for longitudinal adjustment of said follower plate and supporting member in said channel member.

NIELS YDE ANDERSEN. 

